Courtesy of James Garcia, Sports Information Director, West Virginia State Athletics
West Virginia State’s Donovan Riddick (Glen Allen, Va./Glen Allen) was among the first group of players selected for the 2024 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl on Thursday. Riddick is a graduate quarterback for the Yellow Jackets with nearly 7,000 passing yards, over 1,000 rushing yards and 126 touchdowns scored in 40 games played.
The Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl, presented by the Black College Football Hall of Fame, is a postseason all-star game showcasing the best NFL draft-eligible football players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This year’s edition will be played at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans on Saturday, Feb. 24th. The game will be broadcast live on NFL Network, with coverage beginning at 4 p.m. ET.
Riddick came to West Virginia State as a true freshman in 2019. He replaced injured starting quarterback Austin Hensley in the penultimate game of his freshman year and led WVSU to a 24-0 victory over Wheeling. He earned his first collegiate start against Notre Dame College the following week and completed 59 percent of his pass attempts for 201 yards and a touchdown while rushing for another 56 yards.
Riddick’s sophomore campaign was a shortened season due to COVID-19. He did not let the interruption to his career deter him and came back better than ever his junior year. He passed for over 2,000 yards in his first year as a full-time starter.
Riddick earned Second Team All-MEC honors his senior season after throwing for another 2,000 yards and rushing for almost 500 yards. He accounted for 28 touchdowns and only threw six picks all season.
Riddick is on pace to surpass 2,000 passing yards again this season and has already rushed for over 300 yards with three games to go. He has been responsible for 18 touchdowns thus far.
Riddick has been steadfast in his dedication to West Virginia State University over the past five years. He is every bit deserving of the honor currently bestowed upon him.
